Patanjali Yoga Sutras Lecture 080

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

Om Sahanaavavatu Sahanaubhunakthu Saaveeryam Karavavahai Tejasvinavaditamastumavidvishavahai Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Hari Om Om Yogena Chittasyapadena Vacham Malam Sharirasya Javaidhyakena Yopakarottam Pravaram Muninam Patanjalim Praanjali Rana Tosmi I bow to the eminent sage Patanjali who removed the impurities of the mind through yoga, of speech through grammar, and of the body through medicine. Sri Ramakrishna was one of the greatest yogis. If we want to understand his greatness, his glory, then we will have to understand what is it that really made him a yogi. A scientist, an expert maestro, they just do not fall from the sky. They produce the causes. Unless the causes are there, the effect will never come. This is the most well-known law, the law of cause and effect. The whole of science is based upon this. Even from a scientific point of view, if we would like to understand how a person became an Einstein, did he just become like that? Christ, Jesus, how did he become Christ? Narendra Nath, how did he become Swami Vivekananda? Holy Mother, was she an ordinary woman? So we shall try to understand Patanjali Yoga Sutras better by focusing upon the things which make a person really a yogi. What is the definition of yoga? Yoga, chitta vritti, nirodha. This word nirodha has created a lot of problems. When we are in deep sleep, we do not have any thoughts. Do we become great yogis because of that? It has a negative effect. Since no thoughts arise, we become quite happy for that period. But the moment we come out, problems confront us or we confront the problems. Let us focus upon to study Sri Ramakrishna from Patanjali's viewpoint. First of all, it is a well-known fact, unless the causes of a cause is also appropriate, that cause cannot be produced. A cause, for example, you know, a good mango tree. If here is a good mango tree, it must have been the result of a good mango seed. And if that mango seed were to be a good mango seed, then it should definitely have come from another good mango tree. It is an interesting incident had taken place. Many people believe, Kshudiram, Chandramani, they were not very educated people. Kshudiram especially, he could perhaps, he could write, he could read and that was more than sufficient for carrying on priestly duties. But what a character it was! It is the character. By the study of Sri Ramakrishna, we can learn so many things, even from a family point of view. This is incidentally I am mentioning. Every saint also can be a role model from many viewpoints, not only from the viewpoint of spirituality. He would be an ideal social member. He would be also an ideal friend, ideal companion, ideal husband, ideal wife, ideal son, ideal father, ideal guru, ideal student. Take any particular aspect. Incidentally, Sri Krishna is considered as one of the greatest of all incarnations in this world. Why do we do so? That's because he was an absolute role model in the vast realm of human mind. As many aspects as could be expressed. For example, he was a great musician. Can you think of Sri Rama playing flute, especially in front of women, telling jokes? He was a very serious man, you know. He took his duties very, very seriously. But how did Sri Krishna take it? As a Yogi, Paramayogi. How do we know that he is a Yogi? Who is telling he is a Yogi? Bhagavad Gita, at the very end, the last sloka. Yatra Yogeshwara Krishna, Yatra patho dhanudhara. Yogeshwara, he was not only Yogeshwara, Sri Ramakrishna is also Yogeshwara. How do we know? Jirambhita, Yuga, Ishwara, Jagadeshwara, Yoga Sahay. And who can help? Only a Yogi can help other Yogis. So, let us briefly take the characteristics of Kshudiram. What were the special characteristics of Kshudiram, which made him make God request him, I would like to become, to be born as your son. And what was Kshudiram's reply? Lord, please don't do so. You will suffer. I will suffer. Both of us will suffer. But the Lord, you know, is a very stubborn fellow. What he wants, you will get. Shokali, Tomari Ichcha, whatever your desire, not my desire, your desire, I will be born. Why God had chosen to be born for Devaki and Vasudeva? Chandramani and Kshudiram, Shuddhodana and I think Mayadevi. Why? Shichidevi and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's father. Why? There must be an extraordinary qualities. So, Kshudiram, for example, there are certain qualities. One of the greatest, he was the most sincere of all persons. Secondly, he never told a lie in his life. Thirdly, that Nishta, that tremendous adhering to his day-to-day practice. Fourth, he is a perfect example of Aparigraha. He would not receive any gifts. If he receives, the receiver, the giver gets more than what he gives to the people like Kshudiram. Chandramani Devi, she was absolutely unlettered one. But one thing, utter simplicity. There is no what is called Anjana. Shri Ramakrishna used to call crookedness in her. She is really a Chandra and she has nothing to hide. You know, if some people have got egotism, one of the tests of egotism that they tend to hide certain things which might highlight their defects and weaknesses and focus a project only what seems to be worthy qualities in the society. Second, her motherly heart. She has to be the mother of the whole universe and she has to bear God in her womb, how great she must be as mother. Absolute simplicity, straightforwardness, unselfishness and such faith in God. She had such faith. How do we know? Because she had tremendous amount of visions which confirm that there are many things which I will not go into. But just a hint, in our scriptures it is said this universe is so vast. There are so many worlds are there. There are other worlds other than the gross physical worlds, subtle, unsubtler, unsubtlest until Brahma Loka. Do they really exist? Are these what psychologists call psychological explanations of various mental states? Now definitely they exist. How do we know? Chandramani Devi had various amounts of visions of different gods and goddesses which she proves because she said I never even heard about them in the scriptures because they were such great people. How great she was, how pure she was. You know she was pregnant even before Shudhiram returned back from his pilgrimage which wife would confront her husband and say look I am with a child even though you are not there and fortunately Shudhiram also had those qualities. He knew that God is about to be born and he will not be born as a result of human union. This is one thing that is proved. So these are some of the qualities we get. Today's my talk is exclusively based on the life of Sri Ramakrishna written by Swami Saradananda. He is mentioning everyone born or related in the family of Sri Ramakrishna had tremendous qualities, Ram Kumar. He could tell people what is the future just by looking at a person's face. Rameshwar, what a tremendous devotion he had, what devotion Ram Kumar had. We do not know much about the sisters of Sri Ramakrishna. You know he had two sisters, Katyayani and Sarvamangala. Sri Ramakrishna's talent as a painter came out in the family of Sarvamangala. Sri Ramakrishna went one day and saw how happily she was serving her husband and he immediately drew a painting so lifelike. Unfortunately we haven't got that picture anywhere. These are side matters. Let us come to the life of Sri Ramakrishna. First, this Patanjali system of yoga, it is purely practical. It has no theory at all. If you want to understand the theory you have to go to the Sankhya philosophy because Sankhya is the theory and philosophy and yoga is the how to practice and realize God. As I mentioned several times, Indian philosophy should not be called Indian philosophy. It is actually called Darshana. What is Darshana? Direct experience of the reality. That is called Darshana. So according to this Darshana, there are six schools of philosophy and every school of philosophy has got its own practical side. Indian philosophy doesn't care for speculation. It is based upon direct experience. So there are theoretical variations, philosophical differences but as far as spiritual practice is concerned, they are absolutely one and the same. This is a point which we need to understand clearly. There are so many varieties of spiritual paths. There is the devotional path, there is the path of knowledge, path of yoga and path of selfless activity. But how many goals are there? Only one goal. So how many paths are there? Four. Many means four. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Are these really different? That's why I always compare these four paths to the four motorway lanes. You know they are all running side by side only. If you are in one lane, it is never cut off. Always the others are running. The difference is slight emphasis either on, not on the path of sadhana but on the path of the faculty, human faculty. Why there are four yogas? Because every human being has four faculties. Activity, emotion, will and intellect. The emphasis. But the actual practice is simple. Let us take these simple examples. Any of these four people following these four different paths, can they tell a lie and reach the goal? Can they be impure and reach the goal? Can they have selfish motives and reach the goal? So what is spiritual practice? It is only getting rid of these things. So all these things have been so beautifully summarized by Patanjali. That's why it is called eight fold way of the Patanjali like Buddhas. Ashtanga Yoga. Eight limbs are there. What are the first limbs? Yama and Niyama. Yama has got how many parts? Five. And Niyama has got how many parts? Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha. These are called Yamas. What is Yama? Get rid of all the negative qualities. That is called Yama. Restraints. What is Niyama? Acquire those qualities which are positive, which help us in progressing in life. Especially in spiritual life. What is the first of this one? Ahimsa. What is Ahimsa? Non-injury. What is non-injury? Not to think of hurting or harming or gaining some benefit from the other person. Either in the mind, in the thought or in speech or in action. That is called Ahimsa. The highest of this, highest, most beautiful definition of Ahimsa is given by Swami Vivekananda. Do you know what is Ahimsa? Absence of jealousy. Because jealousy is such a subtle type of Himsa. What is the Himsa? I will tell you briefly. Feeling jealous. What does jealousy do? It can kill people. During these inquisitions, neighbours jealous of their other people's prosperity or a person has got one more cow than what I have. That fellow will then tell, I have seen he is riding on a broom early in the morning. And the authorities will arrest him and do all those things. Jealousy has got two parts. One part is why the other person should have and why I don't have what that person has got. Even there are enlightened jealous people. Enlightened jealousy. What is that enlightened jealousy? I don't want to deprive the other person of what that person has. But I would like to acquire myself such a thing. The example of it is, in the earlier days of Baranagar Math, the brother disciples, Sri Ramakrishna's disciples were living in one room. And then one night, somebody heard some sounds, which looked as though a rat is moving around. And Swami Shardananda, first he thought it was a rat. Then next night, he lighted a lamp. As soon as the noise started, and saw lot of Maras sitting for Japa. And immediately he said, Rascal, you want to progress. I will also progress. Here, why enlightened jealousy? Because first of all, it is a positive thing. I would like to get the same quality that you have, without depriving you of that quality. This is one. The other side of the jealousy is, I don't want you to have what you have. I want to deprive you of what you have. I want to have it. I want to have it at any cost. Especially, I don't want the other person to come out. This led to murders, Ahimsa. No question of entertaining. Can you think Sri Ramakrishna had ever entertained any jealousy towards anybody? Has he ever entertained any idea, I will hurt this person. You will not get a single example. Not to speak of Sri Ramakrishna. Swami Vivekananda, he never felt, he himself declared, the idea of jealousy had never arisen in my mind at all. Sri Ramakrishna was born perfect. He never entertained, cherished any idea of jealousy. And he never entertained any idea of harming or hurting or doing something wrong to other people. Never. On the contrary, he felt happy at the prosperity of other people, whenever other people, that was the quality of Holy Mother too. This is the very first thing, Ahimsa. Why are we discussing these things? Because if we want to be yogis, this is the very first step. And if we do not slowly overcome that quality, are we free from jealousy? I will not ask you to raise your hands. Even Swamis, Swamis are also jealous, you know. If there are two Swamis, and both of them have given a talk, and the applause to the other Swami is longer and stronger, immediately the other Swami would feel, these rogues, they don't know the value of my speech, they should have also applauded me more. Ahimsa. What is the next quality, Yama? Satya. Satya means what? So always we have to understand, through mind, through speech, and through action. Absence of all these things, that is called this particular quality. Five qualities, the most important qualities. Why did we call them negative qualities? Because we have to get rid of this Ahimsa and other things. Though it is put in a positive way, but actually to get rid of these negative qualities. We all know that Sri Ramakrishna's father, Kshudira, was an embodiment of truth, and Sri Ramakrishna was an embodiment of truth. The idea that any words would come out of my mouth, and they will never be fulfilled, that idea had never come in the mind of Sri Ramakrishna at any time. Even though people did harm to him, once the family priest of Mudranath had literally kicked him in a corner when Sri Ramakrishna was in a helpless state of ecstasy. What was Sri Ramakrishna's reaction? He could have almost killed that person. If he had reported this to Mudranath, he said I would have wrung his neck, like you take off the stalks from betel leaf, like that I would have done. What was Sri Ramakrishna's reaction? Because Hriday came to know about this incident. Sri Ramakrishna took promise three times, don't mention anything. And it was long after this fact came. Sri Ramakrishna was very embodiment of truth. That is why his teaching also reflected his own practice. He said if anybody can practice truthfulness for 12 years, whatever he says will come true. There are so many examples. I am only giving just a sighting. He was an embodiment of truthfulness. The next is asteya. What is asteya? Not stealing anything, non-stealing. Sri Ramakrishna not only never cherished the idea of stealing anything from anybody, not only that, if he saw anybody doing it, instantaneously his soul will come down. I will give an example. One of the relatives of Sri Ramakrishna, he was involved in a court case where he wanted to cheat a villager. This man was a close relative of Sri Ramakrishna. What did the other man do? He took him to court. And then he cited Sri Ramakrishna as a witness. What a wonderful thing it is. Because he knew under no circumstances Sri Ramakrishna would ever tell any untruth. So Sri Ramakrishna called his cousin and said, look, settle this out of court. Because if I am called into the court, into the witness, I am going to tell exactly what happened and you will lose much more. And immediately he compromised. Asteya, non-stealing. There are two incidents we can bring out. One incident was, I will only briefly mention because I just wanted to highlight these things. Rani Rashmani had four daughters. One daughter died and so three daughters were there. The property was divided even while she was alive. Sri Ramakrishna knew which part of the property within that house belonged to which daughter. And one day he found one of the daughters collecting greens from a portion not belonging to her but to her sister. And Sri Ramakrishna, it was a very serious affair for Sri Ramakrishna. And for them, they were millionaires, multi-millionaires, you know. They don't care for a few things. And they were sisters. They were all there in the house. So he said, this is not right. Have you taken permission of your sister? She said, she wanted to play with him. She understood it. Now Baba, I am stealing. Don't tell my sister. Meanwhile, Sri Ramakrishna straight went there and blurted out the whole lot. And she also pretended to be very serious and then they burst out into laughter because they could not take it seriously. The point is, if anybody is like that, then they will never be able to progress in spiritual life. Early life, it passes unnoticed. But the cumulative effect of this will come after several lives when they seriously take to spiritual life. What do you think will happen? They will be the greatest obstacles because every action is creating a kind of samskara, like a strong rope. Already we are bound. And that rope is being strengthened. How many ropes bind us? We know, eight ropes bind us. That's why it is called Ashta-Pasha. Eight, eight bonds. Okay. The next incident is about lemon. I mentioned, most of you know about this incident. Sri Ramakrishna was advised by the doctor that he should take lemon juice, one lemon juice every day. So the neighboring garden, one devotee used to go with the permission of the owner and the watchman. So one day this attendant went there, brought the lemon as usual. The watchman was there but Sri Ramakrishna could not touch and he was perturbed. And on inquiry it was found out, previous day that garden changed hands, the previous owner. Now Sri Ramakrishna did not know. The attendant did not know. The watchman did not say anything about it. After all who cares for one sour lemon. But Sri Ramakrishna's unconscious, he was an embodiment of non-stealing. That's why immediately it reacted. His very body reacted. His mind also did not know. Of course without the mind's prompt, do you think the body will react? It was the deep seated samskara of non-stealing. It was an embodiment of non-stealing. That's why he reacted. For us, any number of goods we buy, especially many goods that we buy from the eBay, what do you think they are? Many of the goods are genuine goods, second hand goods, but some of the goods are stolen goods. And if you go to Kolkata, there are so many markets, Parma Bazaar, so many markets are there. Whereas if a person wants to be spiritual, the first thing is non-stealing. Why non-stealing? There are certain reasons for that, two reasons, main reasons. One reason is that if we deserve anything, it will come if we have paid the price through our karma. If it is in our fate, it will definitely come to us. So we don't need to feel jealous, we don't need to steal anything. On the contrary, if we steal and say I did not deserve it, but somehow I got it, and we will have to pay back with heavy price that people don't understand it. How much we have to pay in future for this? When they become serious in spiritual life, then they understand. Not only that, we lose so many things also. Why do we lose? Somebody had come and stolen your goods. You think some rogue of a thief had come and stolen my innocent goods. I am an innocent man. No, you are not innocent. Simply they changed hands, they belong to somebody and you stole it in this life or in the past life and in this life somebody has stolen it. So just be happy that a part of your sin has gone off. What is the second reason? The second reason is there is no need to steal because the all-pervading divine, if there is a devotee who believes in such a God, the God will provide whatever is necessary and whatever is not necessary he will take it away because that's going to be a burden to us. Okay, these are the two examples I have given. What is the fourth quality? Brahmacharya. What is the meaning of Brahmacharya? Two meanings are given of Brahmacharya. The real meaning of Brahmacharya is to live in Brahman is called Brahmacharya. The other meaning that is given is to lead a celibate life. Why celibacy? Because sex energy is the most wasted, most dwelt upon topic in this whole world. Kama and Kanchana. Even this desire. What is Brahmacharya? Unless we cut off that strong bond which again and again drags us into this world. What is it that drags us into this world? Do you know what is it? This body. Our body is our greatest obstacle in the world. Not anything else. And why does this body live here? Why does it stay here? Holy Mother used to say if there are no desires, the body will not live. And because of desire. And what is the strongest desire of every human being, normal human being, ordinary human being? Only two. Two sense organs are most powerful. What are they? Tongue and sex organ. These are the two. Of these which is more powerful? The sex organ. Because when that emotion comes, then even greatest people fall into it. Look at our Mahabharata. The whole story of Mahabharata is dependent upon this stupid quality. Do you connect what I am talking? Who was the grandfather of Pandavas and Kauravas? Shantanu. And Shantanu, actually he fell in love with Ganga. Originally he was a divine being in the world of Brahma. And I don't know how this happens in the world of Brahma Loka. That shows that even if you go to Brahma Loka, you are not free from these things. That this Ganga happened to come a young woman. And by the way, in Deva Loka there are no old women. That is one reason why you should take to religion and progress into spiritual life. Because when you go to Brahma Loka, you don't need all this cosmetic surgery and all this. Ganga came, Shantanu was one of the Devas and their eyes met and they cherished a desire towards each other. Can you imagine what they are thinking? If there is no body, there would be no bodily desire. So some type of body they have and what is this? Human beings also suffer. Mosquitoes suffer. Animals suffer. And even in Deva Loka, Brahma Loka also people suffer anyway. So Brahma cursed them. Shantanu was born here as a king because he was a great soul. And Ganga also came. They got married and they had eight children. And Ashtavasu we call it. Of them, seven were released by Ganga. Only one was left out. You know the story. That was Bhishma. He was such a great soul and this man was old. What happened? One day he went for hunting and there he met one woman, a young girl and he had fallen in love with her. And so he became lovesick. Shantanu was literally suffering from Kama. Is it not? The whole Mahabharata came because of that. Anyway, what is the point here? It is the one meaning of Brahmacharya is the strongest desire. If we can conquer that strong desire, then other desires will be what we call very easy to conquer about. That's why, what is it that takes our mind away from God? Only one. That is called sex energy. And this sex, sex desire, in how many ways it manifests? You are only thinking one way? There are eight different ways according to Indian psychology. Ashtanga maithuna it is called. You hear somebody's voice. You smell some things belonging to them. Go on thinking about them and enjoy their presence, etc. etc. This is the most, Vedanta Sara enumerates these things so wonderfully. It is not sexual. That's why old people get married. Why? One reason is their desire is not gone. But like Sri Ramakrishna used to say, an old bull cannot service the cows, but still goes and moves among the cows. Old men also, no difference. No difference between animals. Ahara nidra, bhaya maithuna samanam etat, pashuvir narana. Absolutely no difference. Now we are talking about a yogi. Who could be a yogi? This is a bondage which had to be cut. If the mind is not taken off from the sex desire and then there are other desires like eating, etc. Rasanendriya. Why? What is the problem with these desires? Are these desires inimical to spiritual progress? In a way, yes. In a way, no. Because if a yogi, Vyasadeva, he also produced three children as you know. Hritharashtra, Pandu, Idura. But he was a yogi. He did his duty and came out. Most people like Shudhiram, do you think that they have this kind of desires? They just fulfill their duties and then come out. So what is the problem with these desires? These desires need an instrument through which they can find a channel of fulfillment. And what is that instrument? Body. That's why we take body again and again. That's why Holy Mother said the moment desires are not there, there will be no body at all. Who is a yogi? A yogi is one who doesn't have any desires. Now again we will connect it with this Patanjali Yoga Sutra. What is yoga? Chitta, vritti, nirodha. What is vritti? Different thoughts in the mind. What are these different thoughts? Suppose in a yogi's mind only spiritual thoughts are arising. Is it an impediment? It's not at all an impediment. Because very fast that person would be progressing towards his goal. Because it's all from one spiritual stage to another spiritual stage. From a lower stage to a higher stage because there is no obstruction. All that he wants is I want God. Nothing else. But what is sadhana? Why do we need to control our mind? What is the meaning of controlling the mind? If your mind is thinking of God, do you need to control the mind or do you need to let it go? Think more of spiritual thoughts. There is no nirodha necessary there. Nirodha is only if there are un-yogic, un-spiritual vrittis, un-spiritual pratyayas, un-spiritual samskaras, un-spiritual vasanas. So that is why brahmacharya. What about Sri Ramakrishna's brahmacharya? We all know the story that Madhura Bahu tempted him. Has the idea of sex ever come into the mind of Sri Ramakrishna? Here also there is something. There are people who are grown up. They don't have any strong sexual desire. But they are acutely aware, I am a male and here is a female. That is also a kind of sexual discrimination. And that is also a bondage. If you ask them, do you have a desire? No, we don't have any desire. In fact, one can look upon the other party. But the highest conquest of this sexual energy is when a person, like a baby, doesn't have any discrimination between who is a male and who is a female. And one has to somehow acquire that kind of mentality. Sri Ramakrishna and people like that, they are called in Shastra. A beautiful Sanskrit technical word is there. It is very appropriate for the subject. You know that story about Shukadeva? Shukadeva was walking away. As soon as he was born, he was 16 years old and he was walking away. And Vyasadeva had tremendous attachment to his just born son, even though he was 16 years old. He was absolutely naked like a baby and he was walking. And Shukadeva was walking very fast. And Vyasadeva was calling, oh my son, oh my son. This is how Bhagavata describes. On the way, there was a small lake and beautiful young women, Apsaras, they were taking bath. And Shukadeva was passing absolutely naked. And these people, as though a bird was passing by or some animal was passing by, nonchalantly they went on splashing water and taking bath. And after a few minutes Shukadeva had passed away. Then Vyasadeva came. As soon as these ladies beheld Vyasadeva, instantaneously they jumped onto the shore and clad themselves and stood shyly. Now Vyasadeva was also very intelligent. He wrote so many books and then he was surprised. He noticed this fact and he asked, my son is a young man. You are all young people. I am an old man. I am fully dressed. He was not at all dressed and he was passing by. You did not move from your place. And as soon as I came, you overcame with shyness and you covered yourself. Why? And then their reply was, Vyasa, that they have given in fact two replies. Vyasa, even though Shukadeva passed, your son passed. He is not your son. He is a knower of Brahman. He was not at all body conscious. That's why we also became free from body conscious. You know this is what happens. If a baby comes, suppose you are disrobing, you don't mind. But as soon as even your own son, if a grown up son comes, then immediately you will cover yourself up. What is the second reason he gave? Vyasa, you wrote so many books and there you have described the beauties of the woman like a great poet. That means you know every part of a human anatomy so well in your presence. We became aware that we are women. We have to cover ourselves. This is a common phenomenon. You can observe it. I have seen in the presence of Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj. Some women told me that they never felt they were women when they were in his presence. That is because his mind is like a sky pilot. He will be thinking only very high things. Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj never allowed his mind to go. If any beautiful woman comes, he looks at her. How much jewellery you have on your body? What is its worth? In what is it? Oh, it is two lakhs of rupees. See, our ashrama is trying to have some charity or dispensary. You can sell 50% of your jewellery and donate it. He will be doing a great good. He was that kind of person and they also listened to him. Very interesting Swami. Great Swami. But because he is available so easily and people did not care, they became jealous and so many things. Bhuteshanandaji Maharaj. He was one of the Swamis with whom I had the privilege of sitting on his bed and messaging him and then all those things. We felt elevated as soon as we sit there. There are Swamis. I was fortunate. Some of you are also definitely fortunate. And that is why we are able to keep up our spiritual practice. Coming back. What is the topic we are talking about? Brahmacharya. What is Brahmacharya? To keep the mind by any means that is available on God. That is called Brahmacharya. I don't care in what way you do it. But these are the impediments that come. That is why Brahmacharya is insisted so much. Celibacy is insisted so much. There are other things which I would not go into. But only one point I want to make it clear. If any man loses his seed, if you ask a scientist, what does he lose? What does a woman lose? Just some chemicals, some protein compounds. But from a spiritual point of view, faith is lost. Keep this in mind. Brahmacharya is equivalent to faith. Lose Brahmacharya, lose your faith. That much it will be reduced. There is a deep connection. This is not a subject for today's talk. What is the fifth quality in the Yama? Aparigraha. What is Aparigraha? Non-acceptance of gifts. So we are all very happy, especially you know Christmas time. If we do not give back what we have received, then we will be harmed. That's why Ramakrishna used to say, sadhus, what have they got to give? They have so many things to give more than what the devotees give them. But not in the form of material goods. But in the form of spirituality. So I also told you one incident, Govinda Shetty. Swami Vivekananda received help from him. And after Swami Vivekananda returned, one day he saw in Kumbakonam, this Govinda Shetty. And he called him and said, you come and meet me when I am alone. And this gentleman agreed and he came and met Swamiji. Swamiji went and embraced him. And as a result, that man had lost one of the siddhis of predicting the future. And in his state tremendous vairagya has come. This man did some good to Swamiji. But how much he received. And similarly, whoever came to Sri Ramakrishna, who is great? Guru or disciple? In our normal understanding, who is great? Guru or disciple? Is it Guru? Because whoever gives more, he is greater. Whoever receives more, he is smaller. Is it not? The giver is always greater than the receiver. Now Sri Ramakrishna had so many gurus. If you compare with this idea, who should be greater? Every guru of Sri Ramakrishna must be very great. But what happens, how much they gave to Sri Ramakrishna and how much they received from Sri Ramakrishna? Who gave more to whom? If you study the life of Sri Ramakrishna, it was Sri Ramakrishna, he received some help. But he gave all the help. He took them to God. This is the greatest help anybody can give. The most valuable precious gift anyone can give to God. Because this is a permanent greatest gift. How do we know? Every day we are chanting Tava Katha Amritam. At the end, Bhuvi Grinanti Te Bhoorida Jana Those who take other people to God, they are the greatest givers in the world. But don't practice it literally after hearing from me. So if anybody does something good to you, you know God is great. Take God's name and I have given him more than what I have received from him. So this is called Aparigraha. Kshudiram was famous, he would never receive any gifts from anybody. And if he had received, because he was a householder, he had to do priestly duties and he had to receive something. But who gave more? Did the others give more to Kshudiram or did Kshudiram give more to other people? Who gave more? Swami Vivekananda or his audience? It was Swamiji. Everything, whether it is Holy Mother, whether it is Sri Ramakrishna, whether it is direct disciples, every spiritual person has something much more to give. That is why Swami Vivekananda, somebody once made an argument with Swami Vivekananda and said, all these monks are parasites. Swami Vivekananda got wild and said, what do you mean by that? It is because of them you are able to live in India, I said. They are all sponging upon this, what do you give? You give a little bit of stale food most of the time. Sometimes you give good food also. And after receiving this food, what do they give in return? First of all, whatever japa dhyana they do, that comes to them, whether you know it or not. Secondly, it is they who tell you something good from the scriptures to most of the people. How did India become so spiritual? Not because priests or pundits have propagated religion. It is these wandering monks who used to, even beggars, they sing songs, devotional songs and whoever hears, they will be transported. There was a funny incident, you know, there was a blind man living near mother's house in Calcutta and every night he used to come and say, I am a beggar, take pity upon me. Once Goloka Ma said, hey look here. So instead of doing this nasty thing, you go on sing Harinam and people also will get benefit and they will also give you. And that man took the advice to his heart and next day onwards, probably that day itself, I don't know, he started singing Harinam. And as a result, Goloka, he was getting a lot of things from Udbodhan. He was also getting from other people because they understood. So always you have to be in a position to give. Suppose you don't give, what happens? If you don't give, it will go. Whatever your punya will go. You know punya? You do so many good things. Your papa will remain with you only. But your punya, your merit, whatever you do, a part of it will go to those people from whom you have taken. It happens all the time, whether you are aware of it or not. This is called the law of cause and effect. What is the law of karma? Law of cause and effect. So this is going to happen all the time. That's why if we want to be yogis, what is the first thing we have to do? Receive only whatever is absolutely necessary. Second, always give back more. So one of the rules that we have, what is called, we are all born debtors according to Hindu scriptures. Our birth has only one goal in life. Do you know what is that goal? How to get rid of the pay of the debts. How many debts we have? Five debts. And that's why it is called Pancha Maha Yagna. Five great sacrifices. We are indebted to rishis, givers of knowledge. We are indebted to gods and goddesses for making our life smooth. We are indebted to our ancestors. We are indebted to human beings. We are also indebted to everything non-human. The rivers, the mountains, the plants, the animals, even insects. If you want a good mango, not only you should give thanks to the mango tree, but you also give thanks to the insects which make it possible. Now only we are understanding what is the role in the internal relationship, interconnected relationship between trees, animals and insects, etc. That's why the plants freely give them honey and fruits and leaves and flowers and other things. And do you think they are doing it unselfishly? They also want to get something. You, in your turn, take my progeny and propagate it elsewhere. This is called the relationship of give and take. But a yogi should be in a position always to give more than what he receives. And if he doesn't do it, it will be taken away from that person today or tomorrow. They are like international banking system. Oh, I have taken all the time, now I have become Diwala. What can anybody do? No. Tata is written there. So next time when you become, you get something, God will deduct it automatically from one account to the what is called internal transfer will take place. And because of we do not understand, so many things happen. Incidentally, I would like to close this talk with this, but I would like to mention one fact. This is how we become really spiritual. You know, three days back on Friday, how many people have been slaughtered. Now, what is the ordinary person's response? Ordinary person says, there are certain evil elements and they have unnecessarily, causelessly imposed this wickedness, this cruelty upon this innocent, so-called innocent people. This is from an ordinary point of view, perfectly rational and logical. How should you react? How should you react? Do you think that you will have to say the same thing? What should you say? You should say, two things you should say. First thing is, these people were victims of their own karma, law of karma. Secondly, this happens by the will of God. If you are a devotee and if you don't say these two things, you are not going to be spiritual. Why is it so? Because it is the same attitude that works in our day-to-day life also. Some disaster might take place in your own life, in my life. And if it takes, and it is going to take place, it has taken place, it will take place. What should be your attitude? That it is because of my karmaphala this happened and this is also God's will. What is it God's will? Karmaphala is also good. The will of God is also even much better. Now, if we do not entertain this attitude, then do you know what will happen? Who will lose? We will lose. Because what is the next attitude? I am a good person and this unnecessary thing happened to me. And then will you be thinking of God or will you be thinking of this person who did it or the loss you have done? What do you think you will be thinking? And if you are thinking like that, will you be a yogi? So where is the nirodha, chittavruti nirodha? That doesn't come. These are some of the points. We have to be extremely alert, awake, conscious and immediately as soon as this comes, No, this happened unnecessarily. Somebody killed somebody. No. In the very first teaching of Shri Krishna to Arjuna, He who thinks he is the killer and he who thinks he is the killed, both are ignorant. What is the problem with ignorance? Both of them will suffer. So whatever either we are enjoying or suffering is due to two factors. Our own karmaphala as well as by the will of God. That should be the correct attitude and it is this attitude which makes a person say, I do not want to receive anything and if I have to receive something, I will have to give much more. And we are indebted most to our parents. So what should we do if our parents are dead and then or one of them is dead? Whatever it is, what should be our duty? If our wives are dead, our husbands are dead, our children are dead, What should be our duty? Only one duty. Every day do some japam and sincerely offer it at the feet of Thakur and say, Oh Lord, this I am offering on behalf of you. Please look after that soul wherever it is. These are wonderful points we will discuss in our next class. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti